Opaque narrow-necked container exposing ends of game playing pieces

ABSTRACT

A game of chance device having an opaque container with a reduced neck forming an upstanding opening, utilizes a plurality of long-handled, paddle-shaped playing pieces which fit in the container with their ends extending from the opening. Game indicia is placed on the enlarged end of each playing piece which is inserted into the container and then randomly withdrawn oneby-one to disclose the game indicia thereon.

United States Patent. [191 Kraemer 11]- 3,771,793 [451 Nov. 13, 1973 1 OPAQUE NARROW-NECKED CONTAINER EXPOSING ENDS OF GAME PLAYING PIECES [76] Inventor: Sandy F. Kraemer, 430 N. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80902 [22] Filed: Feb. 17, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 227,220

52 U.S. 01...... ..273/139,273/1R 51 Int. Cl ..A63b7l/06 5s FieldofSearch 273/139,1R,138 R,

273/161, 144 R, 144 A, 144 B, 145 R, 145 A, 145 8,145 C, 14S CA, 145 D, 145 E;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,617,057 ll/l971 Goldfarb 273/1 R 2/1940 Lassen.... 273/161 2/1882 Cranball 273/1 R 1,734,528 11/1929 Paull et al 46/11 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 510,581 8/1939 Great Britain 273/1 R 666,239 10/1938 Germany 273/139 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer Attorney-Richard D. Law

[5 7] ABSTRACT A game of chance device having an opaque container with a reduced neck forming an upstanding opening, utilizes a plurality of long-handled, paddle-shaped playing pieces which fit in the container with their ends extending from the opening. Game indicia is placed on the enlarged end of each playing piece which is inserted into the container and then randomly withdrawn one-by-one to disclose the game indicia thereon.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures mmiinuuv 13 1913 3771, 7 93 OPAQUE NARROW-NECKED CONTAINER EXPOSING ENDS OF GAME PLAYING PIECES This invention relates to games involving chance in picking game directions from a collection of such directions, and includes means for containing the direction pieces in an easily accessible condition but with the directions hidden from view from the players. Means are provided for placing all of the direction containing sticks in a container so that they may be shaken around for a thorough mixing and to contain the sticks in the container while mixing continues. The invention includes information carrying members each having an elongated handle attached thereto whereby the members may be placed in a deep container with only a portion of the handles extending above the container effectively obscuring from the view of the players the information on the members.

An important object of the invention is to provide a game having a plurality of elongated playing pieces, each containing a specific direction for the game.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game having elongated playing pieces and a container for such pieces whereby information printed on the playing pieces are secreted from the players while the pieces are in the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game having elongated playing pieces and a container for such pieces arranged for easy withdrawal of the playing pieces by the player.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a game having elongated playing pieces and a container therefor arranged for holding the pieces securely in the container for mixing the pieces by shaking.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertainedby referring to the following description and appended illustration in which:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a container holding playing pieces according to the invention and a cover for such container, shown in exploded position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one form of playing piece according to the invention; I

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the playing piece of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a'perspective view of a modified form of container for holding playing pieces according to the invention.

In the device selected for illustration in FIG. 1, a hollow container is provided with an enlarged,closed bottom, base portion 12, a cover supporting shoulder 14 and a necked down shoulder 16,. The container is closed except for a single opening 18 at the top of the necked down portion 16. The container is arranged to hold a plurality of game pieces, shown in general by numeral 20, and described below. A tubular cover 22 having a closed top 24 and an open bottom 26 is arranged to seat over the necked down portion 16 onto the shoulder 14, and thereby enclose the unit with the contained playing pieces 20. This permits means for shaking the closed container to mix the included playing pieces.

One form of game piece is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein an indicia or direction containing circular or disc-like member 30 has a depending elongated handle either or both sides of the circular portion 30, and the number of pieces for game is determined by the type of game to be played. The handle 32 is preferably sufficiently long for all such pieces to extend above the openingof the container when the playing pieces are placed in their container, and when some are reposed on a slant in the container. The extending length above the container should provide for easy access to the players finger for grasping and removing a single playing piece from the container.

The size of the disc 30 should be sufficiently small to easily pass into the opening 18. The disc should be large enough so that with a number of playing pieces bundled in the container, it may be turned upside down and pieces binding on one another remain in the container under most circumstances. This permits the container to be vigorously shaken (even in the absence of the cover) to mix the playing pieces for resuming play of the game.

The playing pieces are shown with a circular disc 30. However, this information plaque may be formed of any shape desired, such as oblong, square, elliptical, etc. It may be only as thick as the handle as shown, or may be of lesser thickness or greater thickness depending on the desires of the maker. The knob 34 shows one way of providing an easy grip for a player, however, the handle does not need such a member for playing the game. Alternatively, different types of ends may be provided on the handle if desired, such as cubes, etc. The playing pieces may, also, be made of various materials according to the desires of the maker, and this may include synthetic plastics, wood, metal and the like. As pointed out above, the directions for the game printed on the disc-like members correspond to the game being played, and in some instances may take the form of animals, figures, drawings, prints, or the like, again depending upon the type of game being played.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 a slightly different shape of container is utilized, and in this instance the container, shown in general by numeral 40, includes a generally right cylindrical tubular wall 41 having" a closed bottom 42 and an arcuately necked down portion 43' terminating in a truncated conical section 44. The conical section 44has an opening 45 thereto providing the only access to the container, similar to that described for the container of FIG. 1. A shoulder 47 provides means for supporting a cylindrical cover in a similar manner to that described for FIG. 1. The container of FIG. 4 is used in a similar manner to that described for FIG. 1, and it, also, provides means for holding a series of direction holding playing members. The shape provides means for mixing the holders in a manner similar to thatof FIG. 1.

The shape of the container is such as to provide a small opening which will just freely admit a playing piece therein and it must provide an enlarged container section for containing a plurality of such playing pieces bundled therein. The enlarged container section not only holds the' playing pieces buteffectively secretes the enlarged ends of the playing pieces holding the directions for the game. Further, the necked down sec- 32 extending therefrom. A generally spherical end 34 is attached to the opposite end of the handle 32. Directions or other indicia for the game may be imprinted on tion (joining the enlarged container section) tends to support the playing pieces when the unit is turned upside down, since the enlarged end portions will wedge on themselves and on the walls of the container to remain in the container even when turned upside down.

The lateral shape of the container may be circular as shown, rectangular, square, or the like,depending upon the desires of the maker. The size of the playing pieces and its container normally is determined by the maker and the type of game being played, which takes into consideration the number of words which are necessary for the directions on a particular playing piece.

Many different types of games may be played using the playing pieces of the invention. The playing units of the invention may be utilized with or without a playing board for particular types of games. Th games my be as simple as merely matching a figure on a playing piece with a figure on a board or book or the like, or it may be complicated as to require movable playing pieces on a board wherein the directions on the elongated pieces indicate movements of the playing pieces on the board. The container formed in the particular manner secretes the information so that the players may not ascertain ahead of drawing the information on a particular playing member. Thus the invention provides a chance game mechanism for various types of games.

I claim:

1. A game of chance device combination, comprising a container and plurality of playing pieces:

said container being opaque and having a reduced neck forming an upstanding opening therein;

said plurality of playing pieces being of like size and shape with each being configured substantially in the shape of a paddle having an elongated handle with the length of each playing piece being substantially greater than the distance between the up standing opening and the bottom of said container;

game indicia on the enlarged portions of said paddles;

and with the plurality of game playing pieces being such that as compared to the opening in said container the game playing pieces may be inserted large end first into said container opening, vigorously shaken without appreciably flying out and then randomly withdrawn one-by-one to disclose the game playing indicia thereon.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said container is circular in horizontal cross-section.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said enlarged portions of said paddles are circular.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the size of said upstanding opening is smaller than the largest dimensions of a bundle of said elongated playing pieces.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the handles of each of the playing pieces includes a knob-like portion on the end opposite said paddle-like end to facilitate handling of a single playing piece.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said container includes a shoulder adjacent said reduced neck and a tubular cover having one open end, arranged to fit over the open end of said container and seat on said shoulder forming a closure for said assembly. 

1. A game of chance device combination, comprising a container and plurality of playing pieces: said container being opaque and having a reduced neck forming an upstanding opening therein; said plurality of playing pieces being of like size and shape with each being configured substantially in the shape of a paddle having an elongated handle with the length of each playing piece being substantially greater than the distance between the upstanding opening and the bottom of said container; game indicia on the enlarged portions of said paddles; and with the plurality of game playing pieces being such that as compared to the opening in said container the game playing pieces may be inserted large end first into said container opening, vigorously shaken without appreciably flying out and then randomly withdrawn one-by-one to disclose the game playing indicia thereon.
 2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said container is circular in horizontal cross-section.
 3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said enlarged portions of said paddles are circular.
 4. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the size of said upstanding opening is smaller than the largest dimensions of a bundle of said elongated playing pieces.
 5. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the handles of each of the playing pieces includes a knob-like portion on the end opposite said paddle-like end to facilitate handling of a single playing piece.
 6. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said container includes a shoulder adjacent said reduced neck and a tubular cover having one open end, arranged to fit over the open end of said container and seat on said shoulder forming a closure for said assembly. 